Vacuum coaxial relay with tandemly movable contacts and stationary grounding contacts

ABSTRACT

THE DISCLOSURE RELATES TO A COAXIAL RELAY WHEREIN A PAIR OF CONTACTS ARE MOVABLE IN TANDEM IN A VACUUM ENVIRONMENT. WHEN ONE CONTACT CONNECTS A COMMON TERMINAL TO A FIRST OUTPUT TERMINAL THE OTHER CONTACT IS CONNECTED TO GROUND THUS ISOLATING THE ENERGY WHICH MAY BE COUPLED TO A SECOND OUTPUT TERMINAL. FURTHER, WHEN THE COMMON TERMINAL IS CONNECTED TO THE SECOND OUTPUT TERMINAL THE FIRST CONTACT ISOLATES THE FIRST OUTPUT TERMINAL IN A SIMILAR MANNER. THE CONTACTS ARE MADE OF A THIN FLEXIBLE METAL MOUNTED ON A SADDLE WHICH IS CONNECTED TO A SHAFT. MOVEMENT OF THE SHAFT IS TRANSFERRED THROUGH THE SADDLE TO THE CONTACT, CAUSING THE DESIRED SWITCHING TO OCCUR.

United States Patent [72] inventors Orhan A. Guraydin;

Knute W. Magerkurth, San Jose, Calif. 793,321

Jan. 23, 1969 June 28, 1971 International Telephone and Telegraph Corporation New York, N.Y.

[21 Appl. No. [22] Filed [45] Patented [73] Assignee [54] VACUUM COAXIAL RELAY WITH TANDEMLY MOVABLE CONTACTS AND STATIONARY GROUNDING CONTACTS 10 Claims, 6 Drawing Figs.

[52] US. Cl 200/153, 200/144, 333/97 511 int. Cl not 1/10, HOlh 33/66, HOlh 45/14 50 Field of Search zoo/144.2,

153.18; 333/97 (S), 7 (Curso y); 335/152 (Cursory), 206

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,021,408 2/1962 Jennings ZOO/144(2) 3,050,603 8/1962 Conce'lman 200/l53(.l8)

3,131,268 4/1964 Orner ....200/153(.l8)X 3,275,775 9/1966 Hawkins..... ZOO/144(2) 3,312,803 4/1967 Perry et al. 200/l44(.2)

Primary Examiner-Robert K. Schaefer Assistant ExaminerRobert A. Vanderhye Attorneys-C. Cornell Remsen, jr., Walter J. Baum, Paul W.

Hemminger, Percy P. Lantzy and Thomas E. Kristofferson ABSTRACT: The disclosure relates to a coaxial relay wherein a pair of contacts are movable in tandem in a vacuum environment. When one contact connects a common terminal to a first output terminal the other contact is connected to ground thus isolating the energy which may be coupled to a second output terminal. Further, when the common terminal is connected to the second output terminal the first contact isolates the first output terminal in a similar manner. The contacts are made of a thin flexible metal mounted on a saddle which is connected to a shaft. Movement of the shaft is transferred through the saddle to the contact, causing the desired switching to occur.

VACUUM COAXIAL RELAY WITH TANDEMLY MOVABLE CONTACTS AND STATIONARY GROUNDING CONTACTS VACUUM COAXIAL RELAY The invention relates in general to vacuum coaxial relays and more particularly to a relay for isolating an unused output terminal when electrical energy is to be coupled between an input terminal and a pair ofoutput terminals.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Conventional single-pole double-throw mechanical relays normally have one moving contact which is in contact with a common terminal all the time. When transfer is made by energizing an actuator, the moving contact moves from a first output terminal to a second output terminal to complete the new path. Such a conventional relay normally has poor isolation between the moving contact and the unused output terminal resulting in coupling of electrical energy between the moving contactand the unused terminal. Further,,such conventional coaxial relays are relatively slow in switching. Moreover, conventional coaxial relays have high RF (radio frequency) losses or insertion losses due to contamination of the contacts. Also, conventional relays have relatively low power carrying capacity compared to the size ofthe relay and a relatively low breakdown voltage.

In order to overcome the attendant disadvantages of prior art coaxial relays, the present invention provides high isolation between the unused r'elay terminal and the terminals having energy transmitted therethrough. Moreover, the relay provides a rapid actuation system for readily switching between terminals. Also by providing such a relay in a vacuum, contact contamination is virtually eliminated while simultaneously the power carrying capacity and breakdown voltage of the relay is greatly increased.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION More particularly, the invention comprises a coaxial relay for electrically coupling a common terminal to a selected one of a first terminal and a second terminal. A first contact and a second contact are mounted in a housing. Relay actuating means are provided for moving the contacts tandemly so as to couple one of the contacts between the common terminal and one of the first and second terminals while simultaneously coupling the other contact between the other of the first and second terminals and the housing. The housing may be evacuated with the contact moving means mounted on a diaphragm which may form the top walls of the evacuated housing. Further, the contacts may be formed ofa thin flexible conductive material extending into the slot formed in the bottom wall of the housing adjacent to the input terminal. The other end of the contacts may be secured to the contact moving means. A ground terminal may be provided adjacent the output terminal with the contact being coupled to the housing simultaneously being coupled to the ground terminal. Further, means may be provided for guiding the movements of the contacts.

The advantages of the invention both as to its construction and mode of operation will be readily appreciated as the same become better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings in which like reference numerals designate like parts throughout the FIGS.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a top view, partly in section, ofa preferred embodiment ofa coaxial relay ofthe invention;

FIG. 2 depicts a front view partly in section of the coaxial relay of FIG. 1 in its nonoperational mode taken along the lines 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a side view partly in section of the coaxial relay of FIG. 2 taken along the lines 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a top view of the coaxial relay in section taken along the lines 44 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 depicts the coaxial relay shown in FIG. 2 in a first operational mode; and

FIG. 6 depicts the coaxial relay shown in FIG. 2 in a second operational mode.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawings, there is shown in the FIGS., a preferred embodiment of the coaxial relay 10 in accordance with the invention. The relay 10 comprises a main body 12 which is preferably evacuated through a tube 14 in its sidewall 16. The body 12 further comprises a bottom wall 18 and an open top end 19 which terminates in a flange surface 20.

A common terminal 22 of the relay is formed ofa receptacle connector adjacent the bottom wall 18 of the body 12 and comprises a cup-shaped metal member 23 whose outer bottom surface is brazed or welded to the outer bottom surface ofthe bottom wall 18. The bottom portion of the cup-shaped member 23 is filled with a'cylindrical disc 24 of dielectric material having an opening 25 through the center thereof. Further, the terminal 22 is formed of a cylindrical metal member 26 the end of which comprises an annular radially outwardly extending shoulder 28 whose rear surface abuts the dielectric member 24 and is brazed or welded at its outer radially extending surface 30 to the inner surface of the cupshaped member 23. Further, a dielectric support member 32 having an opening therethrough 34 is fitted within the member 26. The member 32 comprises an enlarged rear portion 36 and a reduced diameter forward portion 38. Secured within the opening 34 is a socket member 40 whose forward portion comprises spring fingers 42 and whose rear portion 44 is secured to a pin contact 46. The pin contact extends through the opening 25 of the dielectric member 24 and through an opening 47 in the rear wall of the cup-shaped member 23. The pin contact 46 is brazed to a cylindrical contacting member 48 having a diameter less than an opening 49 in the bottom wall 18.

The coaxial relay 10 further comprises a first output terminal 64 and a second output terminal 66 having a construction similar to that of the input connector 22. The output connectors 64 and 66 are mounted on diametrically opposite sides of the sidewall 16 of the body 12 and may be brazed or soldered thereto. A pin contact 68 of the connector 64 extends through an opening 72 in the sidewall 16 and a pin contact 74 of connector 66 extends through an opening 76 in the sidewall 16.

The actuator for the relay comprises a shaft 102 which extends through a flexible diaphragm 104 covering the top end 19 of the main body 12. The diaphragm is normally brazed to flange 20 of top end 19. Also secured to the flange 20 is an actuator cover 108 whose flange end 109 is secured to an actuator cover 110 which normally houses an actuator for moving the shaft 102. The shaft 102 is secured within a hollow cylindrical member attached to the actuator within cover 110.

The bottom of the actuator shaft 102 which extends into the body 12 is secured to a saddle 114. The saddle 114 normally comprises a top section 116 and a pair of side bars 118 integral therewith, as is best illustrated in FIG. 3, to form a U- shaped member when viewed in a side view. Secured between the side members 118 is a first pin 119 and a second pin 120. Surrounding the pins 119, 120 are a first insulator bar 122 and a second insulator bar 124, respectively. Secured to the bars 122 and 124 by means of brazing, are a pair of contacts 126- 128, respectively. Each of the contacts extend from the insulator bar 122 and 124, straight down to the opening formed between the bottom wall 18 and the cylindrical contact member 48. Each of the contacts 126-128 are formed of relatively thin flexible conductive material such as molybdenum which can withstand high temperatures and has high spring characteristics.

A ground plate 132 is housed within the main body 12. The ground plate 132 is a rectangular shaped member which extends between two opposite sidewalls of the main body 12 and has an axis perpendicular to that of the contacts 68 and 74. A cylindrical member 133 perpendicular to the axis of ground plate 132 is also secured to the sidewall 16 and to the ground plate 132 thus forming an additional ground connection as well as a support for the member 132. Further, a tubular electrical ground contact 134 in the center of the body 12 is secured to the ground plate 132 and is axially aligned with both of the contacts 68 and 74, but spaced therefrom at its ends. A pair of insulator posts 136 and 138 extend perpendicular to the axis of the ground plate 132 and are secured thereto. The posts are longer than the ground contact 134 and spaced apart a distance slightly greater than the width of the moving contacts 126-128. The insulator posts l36-l38 serve as a guide for the moving contacts 126128.

Referring now to FIGS. and 6, operation of the relay is as follows. When the top of actuator shaft 102 is moved to the right in the drawings, as shown in FIG. 5, the shaft rocks at the diaphragm. This motion of the shaft is transferred to the contacts 126-128 through the saddle 116, the pins 119, 120 and the insulators 122124. The contacts being brazed on the insulators are free to turn on the pins. The top portion of the contacts move to the left until the contact 128 touches the contact 68 and the end of the contact 128 touches the contact 48. Simultaneously, the contact 126 touches the pin 134 connecting the contact 126 to ground through the ground plate 132. Further, the bottom of the contact 126 is also connected to ground through the bottom wall 18. Thus, a path is formed from the connector terminal 22 to the connector terminal 64 while simultaneously the pin contact 74 of the connector terminal 66 is capacitively coupled to ground through the con tact 126.

Referring now to FIG. 6, it can be readily seen that when the actuator is moved to the left, energy is transferred from the connector terminal 22 to the connector terminal 66 with the contact of connector terminal 64 being capacitively coupled to ground through the contact 128.

While the terminals'64 and 66 have been referred to as output terminals, it should be understood, of course, that the terminals 64 and 66 could be input terminals as well, with the common terminal 22 comprising an output terminal.

We claim:

1. An evacuated coaxial relay for electrically coupling a common input terminal to a selected one of a first terminal and a second terminal comprising: first and second contacts mounted in an evacuated envelope, said first and second contacts being formed of thin flexible conductive material, said contacts each extending at one end into a slot formed in the wall of the housing adjacent said input terminal; and relay actuating means connected to the other ends of said contacts for moving said contacts tandemly so as to couple one of said contacts between said common terminal and one of said first and second terminals and contemporaneously coupling the other of said contacts at least to said housing.

2. A coaxial relay in accordance with claim 1 and further comprising a ground terminal adjacent said first and second terminals, said contact being coupled to said housing and simultaneously being coupled to said ground terminal.

3. A coaxial relay in accordance with claim 2 and further said enclosure; a second fixed contact corresponding to the extended center conductor of said second independent external coaxial terminal extending through a wall of said enclosure substantially in spaced opposition with said first fixed contact; a third fixed contact corresponding to the extended center conductor of said common external coaxial terminal extending within said enclosure substantially at right angles to said first and second contacts, said third contact being spaced laterally from said first and second contacts; means comprising a pair of elongated resilient conductive strips arranged in substantially parallel relationship and extending adjacent said third contact at one extremity and beyond said first and second contacts at the other extremity; means responsive to said actuating means for flexing said strips in tandem between first and second extreme positions whereby contact between said first fixed contact and said third contact is effected by one of said strips in said first extreme position, and contact between said second fixed contact and said third contact is effected by the other of said strips in said second extreme position; and means comprising a portion of the interior of said conductive housing for contacting the extremity of the one of said first strip not in contact with said fixed contacts during each of said extreme positions.

5. Apparatus according to claim 4 in which said housing includes an interior spaced shoulder adjacent to and spaced from said third fixed contact and the extremities of said strips adjacent said third fixed contact extend within the space between said third fixed contact and said shoulder on opposite sides of said third fixed contact.

6. Apparatus according to claim 5 including a conductive mechanical member electrically grounded to said enclosure and spaced between said first and second fixed contacts to engage said strips selectively.

7. Apparatus according to claim 5 in which said strips are joined by an insulating spacer at their extremity on the side of said first and second fixed contacts opposite said third fixed contact and said spacer is responsive to said actuating means for flexing said strips in tandem between said first and second extreme positions.

8. Apparatus according to claim 5 including an electrically floating mechanical member between, and spaced from, said first and second fixed contacts to provide a mechanical fulcrum operative against one of said strips at a corresponding one of said extreme positions.

9. Apparatus according to claim 7 in which said mechanical member is equally spaced from, and substantially between, the internally extending ends of said first and second contacts.

10. The invention according to claim 9 in which said conductive enclosure is evacuated. 

